Artifact’s sale may save Crosbyton fossil museum
Friday, January 25, 2008
A week after filing for bankruptcy and selling his prized mastodon skull, the owner of the Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum in Crosbyton says he should be able to stay in business.
“We think we’re going to be able to continue business as usual and get this thing straightened out,” Joe Taylor, the museum’s owner, said Thursday.
Two weeks ago, Taylor, 63, was facing the possible closure of his museum due to a legal battle that left him in a financial strait jacket. The sheriff’s department was on the verge of forcing Taylor to sell his museum, which he opened about a decade ago.
Taylor’s only hope was to make enough money by selling his mastodon skull to pay his legal bills and settlement costs.
The mastodon skull, the largest ever found, was sold for $191,200 last week at an auction in Dallas. Of that money, Taylor will get to keep about $128,000 – almost enough to pay the $136,000 he is required to pay in damages stemming from a disagreement with a former colleague over discovery rights to an Allosaurus skeleton.
“This whole thing should have never happened,” Taylor said.
The $128,000 from the sale was enough to call off the sheriff’s sale,
though Taylor still has a few details to work out and still owes the remaining $8,000.
The ordeal began after a landowner outside Dinosaur, Colo., contacted Taylor in 2001 and asked him to oversee a joint dig involving a group of aspiring home-schooled junior archaeologists. The team found the Allosaurus skeleton, but soon afterward a debate began over who should be credited with the discovery of the fossil.
In April 2004, the two sides agreed to a settlement, which ensured Taylor would be paid $124,843 for his share of the Allosaurus, which was sold to a third party for $200,000.
Part of the agreement also stated neither side could disparage the other without facing a fine.
Between June 2005 and January 2007, Taylor made at least 20 attempts to explain what happened at the Allosaurus dig near Dinosaur through various posts on the Internet, letters and e-mails.
A mediator later found each of Taylor’s public postings regarding the dig constituted a disparaging comment, which in the end cost Taylor more than $130,000 in damages owed to the group he had formerly settled with.
Jen's Gems -- Doug Phillips' Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Abuse 
January 26, 2008 at 8:24 am
I found your site on google blog search and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. Just added your RSS feed to my feed reader. Look forward to reading more from you.
– Jason.
January 26, 2008 at 11:58 am
Hmmm. God says we should take joyfully the spoiling of our goods . … I would think that includes our “good name”, not?! Seems to me if you feel compelled to grab thousands of dollars for your “spoiling” you are not showing much of a joyful spirit.
January 26, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I do feel sorry for Mr. Taylor, but as the saying goes, “lie down with dogs, rise up with fleas.”
The fact that Doug Phillips supported this father’s Constitution Party, was willing to help court the votes of Kinists and secessionists, and made money selling revisionist history books to homeschoolers should have TOLD Joe something about the character of the man with whom he was doing business.
January 27, 2008 at 1:20 am
According to the websites linked at http://www.dinodeception.com Joe Taylor started the escapade by doing buisiness with Dana Forbes. Doug Phillips didn’t enter the seen until a year later. He was brought in by Pete Derosa. Pete Derosa was the one the kept Joe Taylor out of the loop. Apparently Joe Taylor had no idea what Doug Phillips and Pete Derosa were up to until 2002 when the now infamous movie was being advertised in the VF catalouge.
January 27, 2008 at 11:44 am
Mr. Taylor should have never gone to mediation on this matter. Somethings just need to be litigated. I believe he would have had a much different result through the courts.
Never sign anything that controls your ability to speak the truth at a future time of your choosing. People love to cover up their actions by restricting other’s speech.
January 28, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Jen,
According to the article, advocates for Taylor were attempting to help him by posting his comments on their sites and in emails. If those same advocates would pay the penalties their posts precipitated his problems would just about be solved. So where are those friends now?
Brant
January 29, 2008 at 1:45 pm
BG, I don’t think anyone helped Joe Taylor post his comments any more than I helped you post yours. Should I now be held accountable for your comments as well?
Yes, RR, perhaps Joe shouldn’t have gone to mediation, but at that time, Joe had no reason to believe that Doug would behave in such an underhanded manner as he did. You see, at that time, no had the guts to stand up to Doug. That is why this site is so important.
Joe’s biggest problem is that he trusts Christians.
January 29, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Trusting Christians are a problem? I would think we should be able to and that also means when people have blogs and they are saying all of these things about others and criticizing their church discipline etc. . . that maybe they should be more honest as to WHY there is church discipline. I think it has been very deceptive on the relationship in your marriage. It is interesting to note that no one on here has said anything to you on this . . . I do not think we need to know everything about you – but then we do not need to know everything about Joe, Doug etc. etc. – To me an unbeliever who comes here sees this side … does not have the complete picture – maybe on your sidebar you should add the recent events in your homelife. I can that the problems in your family could be the cause of the church discipline – After seeing Mark’s blog recently – I believe I understand why Church #5 said “I QUIT”
January 29, 2008 at 11:14 pm
K, perhaps what you think you are seeing is more of a result of Christians not only refusing to help spiritually abused believers, but also kicking them when they are down and out. Some people can only take so much before they break. Others run to the cross at that time.
Everything here is true, K. I have been very honest about why we were excommunicated. I was honest when I said there were problems in the marriage and Doug’s solution was to bar us from communion until we could get our act together. I was honest when I explained that the farther we got into patriarchy, the worse our marriage got. Excommunication doesn’t FIX that.
This is not a blog about my family; this is a blog about Doug Phillips initially, and his church and business in ways that are related, and patriarchy. Now this blog will also talk about helping us find our way out of patriarchy to where God wants us to be.
As for church #5, they only dealt with me.
January 30, 2008 at 3:58 am
I think the Dougster has touched Gods anointed, and will pay in the end far more than the $100,000 he has gleefully stolen from this man with his vile legalism. Yes, Virginia, this too is a form of Legalism/Phariseeism. What a scumbag.
Rest assured, God will flay every last half shekel out of Doug Phillip’s tiny shriveled hide in this world or the next.
How’s that for a disparaging comment?
January 30, 2008 at 11:47 am
“This is not a blog about my family; this is a blog about Doug Phillips initially, and his church and business in ways that are related, and patriarchy. Now this blog will also talk about helping us find our way out of patriarchy to where God wants us to be.”
God has already told you where he wants you to be. He wants you to be in fellowship with believers (Heb. 10:25), to be in accord with your husband (I Pet. 3), to be committed to your children and their salvation (Prov. 22:6), and to pursue peace (I Pet. 3:11).
Remember: “in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
God will hold Doug accountable for how he used his position, just as He will hold you accountable for how you used yours. Turn your attention from Doug back to your family. They are your first priority. I’m praying for you, Jen.
For what it’s worth, I have written a similar note to Mark via email.
January 30, 2008 at 9:08 pm
WOW, yes, that is a disparaging comment, and I would ask that no disparaging comments — toward anyone — be made here. Thanks!
Karen, perhaps you misunderstood what I was saying. I am not saying that I am asking others for help getting out of patriarchy, but that I hope to be able to help others who desire to get of out patriarchy. I have received many requests for help in that area and I have prayed about it a great deal. I have not been able to find any resources for that, so I believe that God put me on my own speeded-up crash course so that I could help others.
Now, thank you for your advice anyway. God has graciously provided fellowship in ways Doug can never touch and I am leaving it in God’s hands as to whether or not I attend a church again. I have done my best to be a godly wife and mother and will continue to do what I know God wants me to do. Much is beyond my control, but I will do what I know to do. I have, and will continue to, pursue peace with all men. Good thoughts, thank you.
Somehow, I think I can probably do more than one thing. If God desires for me to do something different with this blog, that is fine. Until then, I will do what I believe He is calling me to do. Thank you for the prayers. I know many people have prayed for me over the last year and I have greatly needed them. I appreciate them tremendously.
November 16, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Yes, I know Joe Taylor, and I would say that he is far too trusting. Not that you shouldn’t trust Christians, but you should be careful. All so-called “Christians” are not Truly Christians.